Christmas ideas part II

Here are some meanings for you:

• The Star: A heavenly signs of prophecy fulfilled long, long ago- The shining hope of mankind.
• The Color Red: The first color of Christmas, symbolizing that Savior's sacrifice for all.
• The Fir Tree: Evergreen- the second color of Christmas shows everlasting light and life. The needles point up to heaven.symbolizes God’s everlasting love. The lights on the tree represent the stars of heaven. The star on top of the tree represents the star of Bethlehem that the wise men followed to see Baby Jesus.
• The Bell: Rings out to guide lost sheep back to the fold, signifying that all are precious in His eyes.
• The Candle: A mirror of starlight, reflecting our thanks for the star of Bethlehem.
• The Gift Bow: Tied as we should all be tied together in bonds of goodwill forever.
• The Candy Cane: Represents the shape of the shepherd's crook, used to bring lost lambs back to the fold.
• The Wreath: A symbol of the never ending eternal value of love…having no end.
  

  Stockings: Christmas stockings are believed to come from a legend in which a nobleman foolishly spent his fortune, which left his daughters without dowries. St. Nicholas heard of the girl’s position and went to their home. He threw pouches of gold coins down the chimney where they landed in the stockings that were during by the fireplace.

  Santa Clause: Santa Clause began in the 4th Century when Saint Nicholas would spread good will amongst men. He was a generous man that was said to be devoted to children in particular. The legend of the man spread throughout Europe and in Holland his name was transformed into Sinterklass. The way that we see Santa Clause was developed from a poem composed by Clement C. Moore in 1822. He stands for good will on earth, kindness and generosity.

  Earth: The symbol of Earth is often used to symbolize peace on earth.

  Poinsettias: Poinsettias were used in the 17th century Christmas celebrations of Mexican Franciscans. The plant was named after the US Ambassador to Mexico, Joel R. Poinsett, when he brought the plant to the United States in 1828. A legend associated with the poinsettia says that a young Mexican boy realized that he had no gift for the Christ child at the Nativity scene. He gathered the green branches and spread the leaves in a star-shaped flour. The plant is actually not a flower, but the upper leaves are actually bright red leaves.

  Angels: The angel is a symbol of good and evil spirits in religion.

  Gifts: Gifts are an act of love symbolizing the act of love that God made when sending us Jesus. Gifts are to remind us that Jesus Christ was a gift to us from God.

  Holly: The thorn of the holly represents the crown of thorns that Jesus wore. The berries symbolize the drops of blood that were shed from him wearing the crown. Holly was also used in Northern Europe to drive away evil spirits. It would be brought into their homes to brighten the mood and to refresh the air.

  Christmas Cards: Christmas cards originated in England and were created by boys practicing their writing skills. They would make cards for their parents with Christmas greetings. The first real Christmas card is credited to Sir Henry Cole in 1843. He was the director of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. He commissioned an artist named John Calcott to draw an illustration that would be used on the card. The card had three panels. The center panel had a family enjoying Christmas festivities and the message said, “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You.” The cards were sent because he was too busy to send individualized messages to his friends.

  Xmas: Many people believe that the term “Xmas” is disrespectful. However, the Greek word fro Christ is Xristos. The letter “X” was used as a religious symbol in Greece. Europeans have used Xmas as an abbreviation for Christmas since the 16th century.

  Snow: Many people in ancient times believed that the sky was a dome that was supported by heavenly bodies. They believed that the dome had windows and doors that angels, gods, snow, and rain would descend from when needed. In the book of Job, God has the power to send snow down to protect the water, soil and to hinder soldiers in the battlefields. Because snow is white and fresh, it is often a symbol of purity.